The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-03-09
COM MON S.
The Bother of Riches.

A minister preaching against the
love of money had frequently repeated
that it was ."the root of all evil
Walking home from the church, one
old person said to the other-"An'
wasna the minister strang upon the
money ?n-"Nae doubt" said the 9TH
er; and added, SAY, but it's grand to
hae the wee bit siller in your hand
when We gang an Grand" We quite
agree with this, and believe in the
"needful." 1t is grand to have the
price of food and clothes, and we are
not at all averse to little pocket-mon-
ey, but after modest sufficiency has
been realized, what is the good of fret
ting and working for more ? Is enough
not enough?
Nature has placed limit to the per-
sonal indulgences of each, and it is
impossible for anyone to consume more
than so much. We may spend $4,000
to 100000 yearly, but the bulk of it
must return to whence it came, in the
payment of labor or profit to the dis
tributor. The money is beneficial to
many, and not solely to its possessor.
"When goods are increased, they are
increased that eat them; and what
good is there to the owners thereof,
saving the beholding OF them with
their eyes?" A rich man is an agent
who manages what he is pleased to
call his property for the good of others.
Burke used to say that the "dependent
pensioners called the rich are trustees
for those who labor, and their boards
are the banking-houses of these lat
ter"
There is sound philosophy in the an
swer king is related to have given to
a stable boy. Meeting him one morn
ing he asked him, swell, boy, what
do you do? What do they pay you p"
81 help in the STABLE" replied the
lad ; "but I have nothing except vict-
uals and Clothes" "Be content" re-
piled the king; II have no MORE"
In meeting assembled to make ar
rangements for the last preaching CAM
paign in London of Mr.. Moody, the
American Evangelist, one of the
speakers expressed his hope that Mr..
Moody would "do something for the
miserable poor of London" II will
try to do so," was the preachers re-
ply; "and I hope also to be able to do
something for the miserable rich"
1.-THE miserable rich!' Some would
think the expression almost contra
diction in terms, but it is not, for the
rich have many things to render them
unhappy. The poor in sleep forget
their misery, but too often the rich are
tortured by sleeplessness. They suffer
from enn,i, "that awful yawn which
sleep cannot dispel." The French fl
nancier exclaimed, "Alas! why is
there no sleep to be sold?" Sleep was
not in the market at any quotation.
Bacon said that money is 'like muck
not much use unless spread" 1t is
nothing to him who does not know
how to use it wisely, and on the other
hand poverty is nothing when it is not
felt. If you mix with people better off
than yourself. you feel. poor; but it
may be only by contrast, for perhaps
you do not really want more than you
have. In one of his stories a we'll
known writer describes the effect upon
a poor teacher of a legacy of e1 200 a
year. Suddenly the cottage he has
lived in for so many years. seems to
have grown very small-the furniture
looks old and worn. Claire had never
remarked the fact before, but she now
perceived clearly that there was no
longer any possibility of tracing the
pattern of the carpet, that the curtains
were dingy, the coverings of the chairs
faded, the table rickety. "The poor
old furniture!" said Claire, must
that go? Yet it is frightfully shabby"
1.-THE poison is eating into our souls" I"
her father went on with deeper gloom.
"For twenty years and more 1 have
thought this little salon model of
good taste. Claire, when we 60 into a
large house, we will keep the old fur
niture all in a room by itself, whittier
we can 60 and remind ourselves of the
past. If we are to be rich, we must
never forget that we were once poor
and happy."-1he QutUer.